Shall I start

[Deleted]

CB - I have been thinking about the edges around the outside of your pond.
Could I suggest that you remove about a foot of turf and consider plants around the outside of your pond - which would stop grass cuttings getting into the water and also provide some cover for wildlife. Low growing plants would look good IMO and soften the edges

[blackrose]

Rita, have you and Kieth got a mindreading machine, I was out yesterday afternoon and was thinking along the same kind of lines. Though I wasn't thinking so much in the way of keeping the cuttings out of the pond, just the plants around the edges.
There has been a few of these sugestions that I had just more or less made myself, funny eh, or is there a connection

[Deleted]

It just goes to show that great minds think alike ;D

[madonplants]

No it's actually a time machine!! ;D Just gone forward 4 months and your pond looks great, dragonflies buzzing all around, 3 frogs and a blackbird bathing on the beach. ;D

Keith

[blackrose]

I may just get around the border done this weekend when I can get my hands on the plants to go in.
Wuld it be too early to start thinking about adding a few sticklebacks to the pond, or am I trying to move too quickly.

I just cant wait to see it coming along.

[madonplants]

blackrose said:

I may just get around the border done this weekend when I can get my hands on the plants to go in.
Wuld it be too early to start thinking about adding a few sticklebacks to the pond, or am I trying to move too quickly.

I just cant wait to see it coming along.

Wait until the spring, don't run before you can walk!! You need to allow the pond to settle and obviously it is the wrong time of the year, even for sticklebacks. Let the plants make some growth and then look into the fish. April or May is best. Go and buy some decent pond books and do some reading to keep yourself occupied!
Any chance of some more pictures to show the new plants? I signed on with photobucket last night (at last) so I will look into how to put them on. I uploaded a few, but it is the next stage I need to do.
Sorry CB, when I went in the time machine forgot to take my camera!!

When are you expecting the lily to come, have you got basket, aquatic compost and gravel handy?

Keith

[blackrose]

The Lilly is on it's way! so maybe tomorrow.
That's what I originally thought, April May for the fish, just thinking ahead for your next run in time machine.

Uploading from photobucket is a sinch, just copy the IMG code and paste straight onto your post, done

Will have have piccy of the pond as it is now in about 5 mins.

[blackrose]

Still a bit bare looking but will get there. Water still a wee bit buddy looking at moment but will settle.

[madonplants]

Time machine needs a new flux capacitor, and you can't get them at Tesco, so may have to wait a while. IMG code!!! Need a clear head, so later. Anyway sun is out so off to do some digging. Catch you later.

Keith

[Deleted]

blackrose said:

Wuld it be too early to start thinking about adding a few sticklebacks to the pond, or am I trying to move too quickly.

There wouldn't have anything for them to eat CB - your pond would be a very sterile environment for them at the moment Do you know anyone with a pond that would be kind enough to give you some mud from the bottom, which would get the ecosystem ball rolling in your pond?

Have a look this link about Frogbit.

I have Frogbit in my pond, here is a photo



and I also have Common Arrowhead in my pond.



Both of these plants will self seed too ;D

[Deleted]

My pond looks bare at the moment too CB - it's just that time of year

[blackrose]

Been thinking about stuff at the bottom, how would a piece of turf sitting at the bottom do, would this rot down and provide goodness for the plants and wildlife that move in, and creating shelter for a while to. I have a bit of turf left over from the digging. Firstly I'd take out the oxy weed then put it back in.

[Deleted]

Oooer no don't put any turf in CB as rotting vegetation equals polluted water.
Plants will get what feed they need from the aquatic compost and water
Floating plants take nutrients from the water.

[andy]

I personally wouldn't put anything on the bottom. Give it a few months and you'll be amaized how much silt you'll get from dead and decaying plant and animal life.

If you're looking for a "lilly type plant", have a think about water hawthorn....lovely white flowers that smell of vanilla and oblong green leaves on the surface.

[madonplants]

blackrose said:

Been thinking about stuff at the bottom, how would a piece of turf sitting at the bottom do, would this rot down and provide goodness for the plants and wildlife that move in, and creating shelter for a while to. I have a bit of turf left over from the digging. Firstly I'd take out the oxy weed then put it back in.

I am back, double digging after a cold is not recommended!!
I would not advise turf as you don't know what else is in it, or do you? Have you ever fed the grass or chemically weeded it? It could be the catalyst for algae problems later on.
Rita's suggestion is worth doing, but time is all you need. Wildlife will come when the pond is ready. I remember my pond last year, when after a few days of it settling down, I put the lillies and some oxygenating plant in, while getting in. I used a few different types of oxy. plant so wanted to place them well. It was surprising what was in their already!!! As it was the start of summer, I was just in swimming trunks!! As soon as I came out I went straight to the shower. When I bought the second lily, I used the string method.

Keith

[madonplants]

I think we were all writing at the same time!!

Keith

[andy]

Here's a pic of my water hawthorn

[Deleted]

I was just about to suggest Water Hawthorn Aponogeton distachyos too
It flowers in the spring, then will seem to die back during the hotter weather but will re-emerge to flower again in the autumn. ;D

Another great plant is Water Fringe Nymphoides ;D

[blackrose]

Have collected some ferns locally and will put them in tomorrow, going on a nighttime raid to get some shrubbery to add in around the edges to break up the look of the stone. All this will hopefully be put in tomorrow or over the weekend..

[sweetleaf]

After my pond had settled a little (a week) I asked a neighbour for a bucketful of his pond water. It was very clear, and healthy looking, but was teeming with life, when looked at under my sons microscope. It gave my pond a kickstart.....
...hmm, it may have given it a couple of fish eggs too, thinking about it, perhaps its not a good idea for a wildlife pond, to take water from a fish pond (Im such a fool).

Rita?

[sweetleaf]

blackrose said:

Have collected some ferns locally and will put them in tomorrow, going on a nighttime raid to get some shrubbery to add in around the edges to break up the look of the stone. All this will hopefully be put in tomorrow or over the weekend..

Nightime raid? Where are you getting your shrubs CB?

[madonplants]

blackrose said:

Have collected some ferns locally and will put them in tomorrow, going on a nighttime raid to get some shrubbery to add in around the edges to break up the look of the stone. All this will hopefully be put in tomorrow or over the weekend..

Eh!!

Keith

[madonplants]

sweetleaf said:

After my pond had settled a little (a week) I asked a neighbour for a bucketful of his pond water. It was very clear, and healthy looking, but was teeming with life, when looked at under my sons microscope. It gave my pond a kickstart.....
...hmm, it may have given it a couple of fish eggs too, thinking about it, perhaps its not a good idea for a wildlife pond, to take water from a fish pond (Im such a fool).

Rita?

When we moved, I gave my clean 'half barrel' here some water from my pond at the old house, and didn't realise that I had six tadpoles amongst the oxy. weed, all of which survived, until they sprouted legs and walked off!
Depends on what the eggs were from, if they were Koi eggs, grow them on for some profit!!

Keith

[blackrose]

would water from the same place as I'd get the stickleback do. Theres plent in there, frogs sticklebacks, rainbow trout and thousands of insects. It is in millbuies country park just 4 miles from here.

[madonplants]

I am not sure you are allowed to take fish from the wild, might be worth looking into it. Also can you guarantee they will be disease free? 'If 'you can get them from a dealer, they will be free of any problems or should be, anyway. I know in England you can't take them unless you have a fishing licence and they are a certain length, not sure how long a stickleback needs to be!!

Keith

Just found this if it helps, not read it all through though!

www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc14/saff-03.asp

[blackrose]

School kids have been taking Stickies from there for years with nout being said, the water is crystal clear and they have never had any bother with disease, on the trout anyway.

As for my night time raid, it's to a kinda GC. The plonker that owns it got me to do a homer some years ago (painter and decorator in my past life) but after all the work was finished he part paid me then didn't pay the rest so now I've found my way of getting paid.

[andy]

You also need to be a bit careful taking plants from the wild too !!!

Not too sure on the fish ruling. You only need a fishing licence to fish with rod and line.....although that doesn't give you the legal right to fish anywhere.
IIRC, you can take fish from the wild but i don't think you can release them back once in your pond.

All covered by the countryside and wildlife act !!!

[Deleted]

I would still recommend mud from the bottom of a mates pond

Sweetleaf - there shouldn't be a problem having a bucket of water or mud from a neighbours pond at this time of year, as it is too early for fish to spawn <fingerscrossedconsideringtheweather> goldfish lay their eggs on plants and remain stuck to them

[Deleted]

This is interesting CB - especially the section headed Amphibians and Reptiles

[blackrose]

One problem with mud from a mates pond, the closest my mates get to gardening is buying a bunch of flowers from asda.

I can't think off hand with a pond that could give me some. My mother has a water feature with lillies I guess there would be mud in there. She says it's loaded with snails. Would that do the trick, not sure I want all the snails though, could sieve it.